Slam Dunk
LOMEGA’S Chase Burton goes up for a dunk during his team’s semifinal victory at the Cherokee Strip Conference Tournament. [Photo by Chris Simon/www.simon-sports-photos.smugmug. com]
There’s no doubt Lomega can put points on the scoreboard.
It was defense that brought the Raiders a conference title. Lomega surrendered just 13 second-half points Saturday to help it pull away from Timberlake in a 59-38 victory in the championship game of the Cherokee Strip Conference Tournament held at Pioneer-Pleasant Vale High School.
Up 32-25 at halftime, Lomega mostly kept up its offensive pace in the second half, but allowed the Tigers just four field goals over those 16 minutes.
Lance Yost was named tournament MVP after delivering 18 points in the title game.
He scored eight in the first quarter as the Raiders got up 17-14.
He then helped bring the title home with six more points in the fourth as the Raiders denied any kind of Timberlake comeback.
Chase Burton knocked down three 3-pointers and scored 11 points.
Ben Marsh scored eight of his 10 points in the first half.
Those two joined Burton on the all-tournament team.
That trio was also huge in the Raiders’ 74-60 triumph over Kremlin-Hillsdale on Friday.
Marsh had a big first half with 14 points as Lomega staked a 40-28 lead.
The Broncs cut their deficit in half in the third quarter, but Burton helped ensure they wouldn’t complete the comeback.
He nailed three 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the fourth as Lomega built more cushion.
Marsh scored 22 in the game while Burton added 21, including a dunk.
Yost finished with 19 points, 14 of them combined in the second and third frames.
On Saturday, Timberlake’s Mavric Judd and Alex Brewer combined for all 14 points in the first quarter. Each scored just one more point the rest of the night and none in the second half.
On top of good defense, the Raiders also got scoring from Jaxson Snowden (9 points), Traver Duffy (6) and Trevor Lentz (5).
The Raiders have now won five straight games and sit at 14-6 for the season.